This invention relates to digital cable network technology. More specifically, it relates to methods and apparatus that provide redundancy for critical headend components of digital cable networks.
Broadband access technologies such as cable, fiber optic, and wireless have made rapid progress in recent years. Recently there has been a convergence of voice and data networks which is due in part to US deregulation of the telecommunications industry. In order to stay competitive, companies offering broadband access technologies need to support voice, video, and other high-bandwidth applications over their local access networks. For networks that use a shared access medium to communicate between subscribers and the service provider (e.g., cable networks, wireless networks, etc.), providing reliable high-quality voice/video communication over such networks is not an easy task.
A cable modem network or “cable plant” employs cable modems, which are an improvement of conventional PC data modems and provide high speed connectivity. Cable modems are therefore instrumental in transforming the cable system into a full service provider of video, voice and data telecommunications services. Digital data on upstream and downstream channels of the cable network is carried over radio frequency (“RF”) carrier signals. Cable modems convert digital data to a modulated RF signal for upstream transmission and demodulate downstream RF signal to bit streams for use by computers. The conversion is done at a subscriber's home. At a cable modem termination system (“CMTS”) located at a head end of the cable network, the conversions are reversed. The CMTS converts downstream digital data to a modulated signal, which is carried over the fiber and coaxial lines to the subscriber premises. On the return path, the CMTS receives the modulated upstream signal, which it demodulates and transmits to an external node.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a typical two-way hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) cable network system. It shows a head end 102 (essentially a distribution hub) which can typically service about 40,000 homes. Head end 102 contains a CMTS 104 that is needed when transmitting and receiving data using cable modems. Primary functions of the CMTS include (1) receiving signals from external sources 100 and converting the format of those signals, e.g., microwave signals to electrical signals suitable for transmission over the cable system; (2) providing appropriate Media Access Control (MAC) level packet headers for data received by the cable system, and (3) modulating and demodulating the data to and from the cable system.
Headend 102 (and CMTS 104) connects through pairs of fiber optic lines 106 (one line for each direction) to a series of fiber nodes 108. Each head end can support normally up to 80 fiber nodes. Pre-HFC cable systems used coaxial cables and conventional distribution nodes. Since a single coaxial cable was capable of transmitting data in both directions, one coaxial cable ran between the head end and each distribution node. In addition, because cable modems were not used, the head end of pre-HFC cable systems did not contain a CMTS. Returning to FIG. 1, each of the fiber nodes 108 is connected by a coaxial cable 110 to two-way amplifiers or duplex filters 112, which permit certain frequencies to go in one direction and other frequencies to go in the opposite direction (different frequency ranges are used for upstream and downstream paths). Each fiber node 108 can normally service up to 500 subscribers. Fiber node 108, coaxial cable 110, two-way amplifiers 112, plus distribution amplifiers 114 along with trunk line 116, and subscriber taps, i.e. branch lines 118, make up the coaxial distribution system of an HFC system. Subscriber tap 118 is connected to a cable modem 120. Cable modem 120 is, in turn, connected to a subscriber computer 122.
According to a current standard for transmission of data over cable networks (termed “DOCSIS”), there is no provision for any redundancy at the CMTS of the cable system. Therefore, a failure of the one of the CMTS will result in a service disruption or service outage of the cable modems relying upon the failed element. If a CMTS fails, for example, it may have to be repaired or replaced before service can resume. This means that service can be out for an extended period. From the perspective of the service provider and the end user, any type of disruption or delay in service is extremely undesirable.
This problem becomes particularly acute as broadband access technologies, including cable, move toward digital telephony (e.g., Voice over IP or “VoIP”). For these applications, rapid reliable cutover from a failed component becomes critical. If such technologies are to compete with analog telephony, a greatly improved protection/cutover technology is necessary.
It would be particularly desirable if the redundancy provisions employed the same downstream channel for both the normal and backup operations. This would free up more channels for transmitting content because a whole single channel need not be reserved for backup. It would also be particularly desirable if the redundancy mechanism did not require any changes to existing network protocols such as the DOCSIS standard for cable modem networks.